Antiskidding chain for wheels



J. F. HERMAN.

ANTISKIDDING CHAIN FOR WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, 1916.

1,383,628, v Patented July 5, 1921.

e/asgafi FHemza/z entree srarss earaarerriesf JOSEPH F. HERMAN, or WASHINGTON, nisrnre'r or COLUMBIA, Assrenor. .ro-

IBERNADETTE M. HERMAN, or WASHINGTON, nrsrnrcr or COLUMBIA.

anrrskrnnrlve CHAIN Eon WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

P stas-Ja s, rear.

' Application filed April 12, 1316. Serial N0. 90,578.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. HERMAN, a citizen of the United States of Am hrica, residing at lVashington, 1n the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and use- .i'ul Improvements in iintiskidding Chains for lVheels, of which the following is a specification. I

The present invention relates to anti-skidding chains "for wheels of automobiles and trucks and consists in the combinations and arran ements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the accompany ing claims.

' The invention has for its purpose to provide an anti-skidding chain of single length which is arranged and carried by thewh'eel in manner providing a double chain length for active use on the tire tread, therebyobtaining the maximum efliciency or working area from the single chain on the wheel.

The invention has for its further purpose to provide a double working chain at the tread ofthe tire which will have positive engagement with the surface'passed over, but which is so attached to the wheel that the respective chain lengths are allowed to creep transversely of the tire, thereby sub.

jecting-the contacting surfaces ofthe tire tread and chain to uniform wearing through out.

' The invention further contemplates the employment of adyustmg means for readlly attaching the deviceto thetlre'o'f any auto mobile wheel. oiftruck, and which may 'be quickly rcmoved'and conveniently stored'cfor carrying. L v The types of anti-skidding chains disclosed herein are designed particularly with reference to dual tire wheels and to single tire wheels for trucks. And said chains are attached to the spokes of the wheel by means tightness;

Fig. 4 is a modification showing the antiskidding chain of one length for dual tire truck wheels,

Fig. 5 is a detailperspective ,viewof the hook securing one'end of the chainshown in Fig. 4, and i 1 6 is a detail perspective'view of the split ring securing the other end of'said chain. 6

' Referring to the construction in 1 detail and with'like characters designatingcorrespending parts in the different views shown," 1 designates the rim,- 2 thespokes, and?) the dual tires of any auto truck'wheel. The anti-skidding device comprises a chain 4 of single length thatfis wrapped around a spoke 2 (see Fig. 2)- to position the anti-skidding chain 5 with respeetto the circumference of the wheel. Saidchain rear riesat one end a hook 6 thatis loosely c'on nected to the end link 7 and adapte d'to-en gage with anyother linkin' said chain 4 after having been wrappedaround the spoke 2 and thence passed through the rings 8 carrying the tread cha1ii= 5-.-;- The connection between the chain 4 andfthe rings 8is 1 clearly showninFig. 2 and in thisposition' the hook 6 engages with an y l'ihk 9"in the chain t whenfsaid chain'and the anti sl ridding chain have beenfbrought to the proper In this respect the attaching.

chain i-fis a'ljustable in that it-may be fitted to spokes otfvarious sizes'and' secured with Alug or spur l'Ois formedon the end of the hook member '6 and servestoj prevent disengagementbetween Said hook I and "its attached link through theordinary shaking or vibration due to the running of the Vehicle; and said hook is alsoformed with a shank extension 11 that acts'after the manner of a counter-balancing elementto hold the hook 6 from disengaging with its connected link. Said shank portion 11 bears against the adjacent links of the chain, as shown in Fig. 2, and, together. with the lug 10, effectively holds the link in secured posi 6 tion. The shank 11 is furthermoreused as a hand-gripping piece for applying the chain length 4: to the spoke of the wheel.

The anti-skidding chain 5 is constructedendless and arranged, through the rings 8, to form a double length at the periphery of the tire, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

since the securing chain 4 is fastened to a spoke of the wheel, the anti skidding chain is prevented from bodily traveling circumferentially of the wheel.

It has been found from actual use over a considerable period of time, that the chain 5 travels or creeps through the rings, 8

precisely after the manner of a belt riding on pulleys (as shown by the arrows in Fig.

1), and by reason of this movement, the.

tact with a multilated chain link which would otherwise be the case were the chain not free to move continuously in a direction transversely of the tire. There is also the further advantage that with having the double chain lengths in engagement with the ground, an increased gripping action is obtained for the wheel over that derived with the usually employed single chain,

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4:, the spoke'attaching chain 12 is wrapped once around the spoke 2, as in Fig. 1, and has its respective ends provided with a hook 6 and a split ring 13. The anti-skidding or tread chain 14 is of single length only and is connected to the spoke attaching chain by engaging therewith through the means of said split ring 13 and the double hook 15, the latter member being constructed with the hookor eye 16 through which the spoke chain 12 passes.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to such features except. as may be required by the claims. 1

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

V 1. An anti-skidding device for wheels comprising a flexible member adapted to be I and adapted to adjustably engage with the flexible member intermediate the ends thereof to provide a loop portion and secure the device to the wheel spoke, and a chain secured to said loop portion and the free end of the flexible memebr and disposed transversely of the tire tread, substantially as set forth.

2. An anti-skidding device for wheels comprisiiig a flexible member adapted to be applied to a spoke of the wheel by wrapping thereon, a hook connected to one end of said flexible member, a ring connected to the other end of the flexible member, said hook adapted to engage with the flexible member intermediate the ends thereof to provide a loop portion and secure the device to the wheel spoke, and a chain secured to said ring and the loop portion and disposed transversely of the tire tread, substantially as set fort 3. A hook for securing anti-skid. chains constructed with a spur and shank extension adapted to engage with the chain and prevent displacement of the hook, and a chain secured to said loop portion and the free end of the chain and disposed transversely of the tire tread, substantially as set forth.

4. An anti-skidding device for wheels comprising a chain, a ring secured to a link at one end of said chain, a hook connected to the link at the other end of thechain, said chain adapted to be applied to a spoke of the wheel by wrapping thereon and said hook adapted to adjustably engage with the links in the chain to secure thesame and to provide a chain loop, and a chain secured to said chain ring and the chain loop and disposed transverselyof the tire tread, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of a witness.

JOSEPH F. HERMAN. Witness:

E. C. CLEMENTS. 

